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What is the capital of Cyprus?

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The capital of Cyprus is Nicosia

Nicosia lies inland on the Mesaoria plain in the centre of Cyprus, in the rain shadow of the Troodos Mountains; the Pedieos river historically ran through the walled city before being diverted around its moat in 1567.

Nicosia is the capital and seat of government of Cyprus, a role it has held since around 965. Cyprus itself has an estimated population of 1,370,754 (2025).

Whether Nicosia counts as the largest city in Cyprus depends on which definition of a city you use, as explained in the questions below and on our capital versus largest city reference.

Nicosia at a glance

City population56,479 (2021 census, municipality)
Metropolitan area350,824 (2021, metropolitan area)
Country🇨🇾 Cyprus
Capital sincearound 965
Largest city in CyprusNicosia
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
CurrencyEuro (EUR)

About Nicosia

Nicosia has been the capital of Cyprus since around 965, the Byzantine Empire selected Nicosia as the capital of the island around 965, and it has remained the capital of Cyprus ever since.

Nicosia is the last divided capital in Europe: since 1974 the Green Line has split it into a southern part, the capital of the Republic of Cyprus, and a northern part that serves as the de facto capital of Northern Cyprus.

The site has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years, since the Bronze Age.

City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Nicosia.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Cyprus?
The capital of Cyprus is Nicosia.
Is Nicosia the largest city in Cyprus?
It depends on how you measure it. Nicosia is the larger urban area, at roughly 245,000 against Limassol's 185,000, and is the city normally named as Cyprus's largest. By municipality alone the order flips: Limassol's municipality has about 111,000 residents against Nicosia's 55,000, because Nicosia's population is spread across several municipalities.
What is the population of Nicosia?
Nicosia has a population of about 56,479 (2021 census, municipality), while its wider metropolitan area is home to around 350,824.
Where is Nicosia located?
Nicosia lies inland on the Mesaoria plain in the centre of Cyprus, in the rain shadow of the Troodos Mountains; the Pedieos river historically ran through the walled city before being diverted around its moat in 1567.
When did Nicosia become the capital of Cyprus?
Nicosia has been the capital of Cyprus since around 965, the Byzantine Empire selected Nicosia as the capital of the island around 965, and it has remained the capital of Cyprus ever since.
What time zone is Nicosia in?
Nicosia uses UTC+02:00 (EET).
What currency is used in Nicosia?
Nicosia, like the rest of Cyprus, uses the Euro (EUR, symbol €).

See the full profile of Cyprus on its country page, or browse every capital city.

Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.